Frustrated With Your Kid? Give Her Away

I've watched Sister Wives before, usually with the same shocked look of wonderment that I used when I stalked women who shopped together at the grocery store case sales when I lived in Utah. Are they sisters or sister-WIVES?

Last Sunday, I found myself watching Sister Wives on TLC. I've watched it before, usually with the same curious, shocked look of wonderment that I used when I stalked women who shopped together at the grocery store case sales when I lived in Utah. Are they sisters or sister-WIVES?

It's true. I'm fascinated. And not destined for a career in the CIA.

Back to the show, the four wives are sitting on the interview couch with the one husband, which always looks uncomfortable even though they're all harmoniously joined to one man. ANYway...

Christine (wife #3), narrates that she and her 8-year-old daughter, Ysabel, don't get along. So she decided to let Ysabel move in with Meri (wife #1). Wha-haaat?

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Here are my thoughts in no particular order, but all occurring at once in about half a second.

Your daughter is eight. Are you really out of options already? There's no narration on what was tried and failed.

Meri now lives in a separate house. Christine is giving up her attempts at discipline, but she's also giving up the moment when her daughter returns from school; when she goes to bed at night; when she needs advice for the bratty girl who torments her at school (this isn't part of the story, but every girl has That Girl in class).

I have trouble with my 2-year-old. Should I ship him off to my parents in Wyoming? Thinking...thinking...

But no! Don't only parents with major issues put their kids in another house?

Well, there are 4 moms and one dad. That could be a major issue.

Meri seems kind of excited and kind of not. What gives here?

And Robyn (wife #4) is also sending her daughter to Meri's on a part-time basis. As a kind of sleepover thing with her sister-friend Ysabel. I am so confused.

Where is Kody in the disciplining? If he spends one night at a time with each wife, that seemingly leaves a lot of time for single parenting by each wife. But then the wives also parent together, so there's that ebb-and-flow of different parents and different rules for the kids to keep straight.

I guess time will tell how this whole situation pans out. I think these women are either amazingly self assured or emotionally blocked on a ridiculous level. The idea of sharing a husband makes my brain itchy (and puts my coochie on lock-down, but that's another post), and then putting your child in another woman's hands/house/heart...well that makes my spirit wither.

Is this a great idea for the kid or a terrible thing all around? Would you consider handing your kid over to someone else in your family?

I think it started for me at Christmas this last year. Even though I'd hardly stepped foot into a store (thanks Amazon), I looked over our bank account at the end of the month and felt sick. We spent SO MUCH MONEY on stuff.

My questions for this article came when my now 4 year old was about 18 month old. We were at the Grocery check out line and I pulled out my wallet and HE grabbed my card and swiped it through the machine